Walter j



W. J. DREW.

CARPET SWBEPER.

Patented Nov. 29, 1892.

' (McdeL) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. DREW, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BISSELL CARPET SWEEPER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SWEEPEIPR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,212, dated November 29, 1892. Application filed December 81, 1891. Serial No. 1161 (Modem To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WALTER J. DREW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Im provements in Carpet-Sweepers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of carpet-sweepers wherein a drive-wheel is subro jected to the action of a spring topress it into frictional contact with a brush-shaft for revolving the latter as the sweeper is caused to traverse the surface to be swept.

The objects of my present invention are to r5 provide novel means whereby the brush is made effective in action without exerting pressure on the sweeper-case through the medium of the handle, to provide novel means whereby the drive-wheel is normally held against the brush-shaft with suiiicient pressure to secure perfect action of the brush, while enabling the pressure to be increased as occasion may demand for producing the broom action, and to provide a stop for holding under tension the spring which presses the drive-wheel into contact with the brushshaft, whereby the drive-Wheel is normally held against the brush-shaft with sufficient pressure to obtain effective action at all times,

0 and the weight of the sweeper-case itself cannot lower the brush to such extent that insuflicient frictional contact between the drivewheel and the brush-shaft occurs and prevents efiective rotation of the brush-shaft 5 unless considerable pressure is exerted on the sweeper-case through the medium of the propelling-handle.

To accomplish all these objects my invention involves the features of construction and 0 the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of sufficient of a carpet-sweeper to illustrate my invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar View showing portions of the drive-wheels broken away to exhibit those parts which are located behind such wheels.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein- The numeral 1 indicates the casing of acarpet-sweeper; 2, the brushshaft; 3, the drive Wheels, and 4 springs which operate to press or move the drive-wheels into frictional contact with the brush-shaft.

I do not deem it essential to illustrate the usual propelling-handle, bail, dust-pans, and brush-surface of the brush-shaft, as all of such elements may be of the usual or of any construction suitable for the conditions required.

The drive-wheels are each mounted at their center on a journal 5, attached to or supported by one end of a flattened metallic plate 6, which is connected at its opposite end, as at 7, with one extremity of the spring 4:- The spring is suitably connected with the 7c sweeper-case at its end8 in any suitable manner, preferably by inserting the extremity of the spring into a suitable recess in the end wall of the case. The spring is of preferably curved or arched form and may be composed of a strip of wire or other material suitable for the conditions required.

The flatten ed metallic plates 6 are each constructed with a longitudinal slot 9, and through this slot passes a pin or screw 10, which is So engaged with the end wall of the sweepercase in such manner that while the metallic I plate can swing or oscillate on the pin or screw as a center such plate can also slide longitudinally to permit movement of the sweeper-case when it is lowered by pressure exerted through the medium of the propellinghandle for the purpose of securing the wellknown broom action.

The pins or screws 10 constitute fulcrums go for the plates 6, and since these plates are connected at one end with the journals of the drive-wheels and the drive-wheels rest against the brush-shaft it will be obvious that stops are provided which hold or maintain the springs under tension. The stops, as here shown, each comprise the pin or screw 10 and the swinging or oscillating plate 6, connected with a drive-wheel and a spring, so that the resilient action of the spring causes the wheel :00 to press against the brush-shaft, while the spring is held partially bent or under tension 'siderable tension.

by the pin or .screw. I donot, however,confine myself to the exact construction of, stop described and shown; and, further, I do not confine myself to two drive-wheels and two stop devices at the end of a sweeper-case, as a single, drive-wheel and a single stop device at one end of the case could be employed.

When there is no pressure upon the sweepercase, the pins or screws 10 will occupy the upper end portions of the slots 9, the springs will be partially bent and held under tension, and the drive-wheels will be pressed into frictional contact with the brush shaft. This is the normal condition of the parts, and therefore the drive-wheels are normally held against the brush-shaft with sufficient pressure to obtain effective action at all times,'and the weight of the sweeper-case itself cannot lower the brush to such extent that insufficient contact between the drive-wheels and the brush-shaft would occur and prevent effective rotation of the brush-shaft unless pressure were exerted on the sweeper-case through the medium of the propelling-handle.

In ordinary carpet-sweepers having springs to press the drive-wheels into frictional contact with the brush-shaft the springs are not normally held under tension, and in some sweepers the springs are not placed under tension until pressure is applied to thesweepercase. In this type of carpet-sweepers the weight of the sweeper-case unduly lowers the brush-shaft, the brush is placed in contact with the surface traversed, and there is insufficient frictional contact between the drivewheel and the brush-shaft to effectively revolve the latter. This objection is entirely avoided by my present invention, in that the stop maintains or holds the spring under tension, and consequently preserves the drivewheel in contact with the brush-shaft at all times with such power as to secure perfect action of the brush, even though no pressure be exerted on the sweeper-case. Further, in sweepers of the character alluded to, the sweeper-case is lowered at the beginning with little resistance from the spring, whereas in my invention there is considerable resistance at the beginning, in fact nearly as much as when pressure is applied to the sweeper-case, since the spring is normally held under con- If the frictional contact between the drive-wheels and the brush-shaft is to be increased, this can be accomplished with considerable positiveness by downward pressure on the sweeper-case, so that the wellknown broom action is secured and this type of carpet-sweepers is rendered very desirable and perfect in operation.

The flattened plates, having journals on which the drive-wheels are mounted, provide a construction which can be readily at- .tached to a carpet-sweeper case without the necessity of forming holes or openings in the end wall thereof for the passage of the aXles of the drive-wheels.

By shifting the position of the pins or screws 10 the tension of the spring can be changed or adjusted and the frictional contact between the drive-wheels and the brushshaft varied to suit the conditions required.

I do not wish to be understood as broadly claiming a carpet-sweeper case provided with spring supported drive wheels, whereby downward pressure on the case brings the brush into closer contact with the carpet and at the same time exerts an increased elastic pressure upon the pulley of the brush-shaft, as such is covered by Letters Patent No. 233,371, issued to A. D. Plumb, October 19, 1880.

. Having thus described my in ventio'n,what I claim is l. The combination, with a sweeper-case, a brush-shaft, a drive-wheel, and a spring for pressing the drive-wheel against, the brushshaft, of a stop independent of the brushshaft, which holds the spring under tension, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a sweeper-case, a brush-shaft, a drive-wheel, and a spring for pressing the drive-wheel against the brushshaft, of a stop device independent of the brush-shaft, comprising a plate connected with the drive-wheel and the spring, and a pin or screw for maintaining the spring under tension, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination, with a sweeper-case, a brush-shaft, a drive-wheel, and a spring for pressing the drive-wheel against the brushshaft, of a slotted plate connected with the drive-wheel and spring and a pin extending through the slotted portion of the plate and engaged with the sweeper-case for maintaining the spring under tension, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination, with a sweeper-case, a brush-shaft, a drive-wheel, and a spring for pressing the drive-wheel against the brushshaft, of a plate connected at one end with the spring and provided at the opposite end with a journal on which the drive-wheel is mounted and a pin which supports the plate on the sweeper-case for maintaining the spring under tension, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER J. DREW. [L. s.]

Vitnesses:

EDWARD TAGGART, HARRY P. VAN WAGNER.

IIS 

